


I have a surprise for you, Sire.

by RuneOak



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Magic, remix eligible
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-06
Updated: 2013-08-15
Packaged: 2017-12-22 14:59:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/914579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RuneOak/pseuds/RuneOak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin gives Arthur his best surprise yet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Not my characters. Also, for anyone interested: [The Resurrection Stone](http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Resurrection_Stone). Written for the prompt on [](http://camelot-drabble.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://camelot-drabble.livejournal.com/)**camelot_drabble**

  
"How much longer is this going to take, Merlin?"

Merlin rolled his eyes as he took a turn and led the king down yet another corridor. Even though he knew the end result was worth it, Arthur really tested his resolve sometimes.

"Almost there, sire. A little more patience, if you will."

"You know, Merlin, you need not bother with this. There is no way you can top the surprise that Guinevere gave me last year."

"I am well aware that only Lady Guinevere has the right to produce your heir, sire. I assure you I do not even want to try," Merlin replied. When a second had gone by without a counter coming forth from Arthur, he turned back to check if he had gone too far. Arthur was glaring at him, of course, but thankfully the corners of his mouth were twitching to keep from smiling and Merlin breathed easy again.

"And what about the year before that?" Arthur thankfully veered off-topic, though it was still on annoying grounds. "How can you possibly top what you gave me that time?"

Merlin smiled as he recalled what Arthur was talking about. His king had a point. It was pretty tough to top replicating the entire universe in the king's royal chambers and showing Arthur every star and every galaxy he had wanted to see and then some, watching the child-like enthusiasm in his king's eyes. It was a memory Merlin treasured very much, especially because it helped him to overcome the desire to turn Arthur into a toad when he was being too much of a prat. Now, for example.

"I shall attempt to, sire," Merlin tossed out as they finally reached their destination - Merlin's own chambers, since Merlin had only just managed to master the spell successfully that morning and did not want to risk failure by changing locations.

"So, what is it going to be?" Arthur, despite his doubts earlier, was already rubbing his hands with anticipation.

"You'll have to go in there, sire," Merlin pointed to the closed doors.

"What-- you're not coming with me?"

"I don't think you would want to share this with anyone, Arthur."

A frown appeared on Arthur's face. "What did you do, Merlin?"

"Trust me, sire," was the only thing Merlin could come up with, since any kind of clue might give his plan away and he was not sure how to explain it yet.

Arthur, being Arthur, looked Merlin in the eye for a second trying to gauge whatever he could from him, shrugged once, opened the door and stepped in. Merlin quickly shut the door behind his back.

He took out the stone from his pocket, turned it thrice in his palm and tried to hurry with the spell.

"Take your time, Merlin. It's not like I have a kingdom to attend to or anything," Arthur called out from inside, predictably impatient. Merlin would have said something in reply but he felt the spell take shape just then.

He heard a thud from the other side of the door, sounding like Arthur had backed up against it. Merlin, yet again, questioned his decision, wishing he had Gaius here again like he had last night, to run it through with him. Unfortunately he hadn't worked out how to use the Resurrection Stone simultaneously for two people and he was not willing to try now of all times.

It had taken him a little more than the last year to get his hands on the stone, and the whole of last week to work out how to make it work for another person while he had the stone in his own hands. Fortunately, Merlin was the most powerful sorcerer of his time, a fact he was never more thankful of. He just hoped that Ygraine will explain all of that to Arthur like she had promised Merlin, and that Arthur wouldn't faint, or worse - flee, before she was done.

Merlin waited there in front of his chambers, trying not to eavesdrop on anything that was happening inside. As much as he wanted to know if his plan had gone alright, he knew he needed to give Arthur and Ygraine the privacy they needed. He could well recall the hour he had spent with his father when he had used the Stone that first time. He only hoped that he had brought Arthur the same joy now that he had felt then.

Merlin did not know how long he waited, lost in his thoughts. After what might have been an hour but felt like days to him, the door opened. Merlin watched with trepidation as Arthur walked out slowly, head down, fringe hiding his eyes. Heart in his throat, Merlin reached out tentatively.

“Arthur?” he called softly as he moved to stand in front of the king.

He watched as Arthur seemed to break out of a trance and swipe at his eyes almost absent-mindedly. He looked up at Merlin, and a series of emotions – sorrow, awe, pain, joy – quickly chased each other on his face until they were replaced finally with some unreadable emotion. Then, almost an eternity later, his face softened and he gave out a watery chuckle.

“Looks like you have Guinevere beat after all, Merlin.”

Merlin sagged with relief. “Thank the lords!” he cried out and a grin split his face. “For a moment I thought you were going to have me executed for daring to…” he pointed at the door, still not having managed to conjure up the words.

“Yes, well, I thought about it,” Arthur said, catching Merlin around the neck and leading him away in the direction of his own royal chambers. “Then I figured that you have set yourself up for punishment enough.”

“I have?”

“Of course, Merlin. Just think about how you are going to top this one next year.”

Merlin groaned.


	2. Arthur's Surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Companion piece to I Have A Surprise For You, Sire. Might not make sense as stand-alone.

Arthur turned to look at the door that closed behind his back. Merlin had asked Arthur to trust him. Of course he trusted him. Merlin was one of the only few people, probably the only person that had never failed his trust. Although the whole stupid-manservant-was-actually-a-sorcerer thing had come pretty close, and yet Arthur could never believe that Merlin would hurt him. The thought was one of the few things that kept him going.

So he turned back to the room he was in and paused to look around. Now that Merlin did not have to hide his 'talents' any longer, he had turned his chambers into a laboratory of sorts that rivaled even Gaius's. True, many of the vials and books had come from Gaius when he had passed away but there were odd bits and bobs everywhere that Merlin had collected from places Arthur did not want to know about. The only resemblances between Merlin's old and new chambers were the mess and the tiny single cot against the wall.

"Take your time, Merlin. It's not like I have a kingdom to attend to or anything," Arthur turned and addressed the door, just because, grinning to himself imagining Merlin rolling his eyes. He turned back again and made to go sit on Merlin's bed. And then he saw her.

Even though Arthur had seen her only once in his life, he would never ever forget her face, and he recognized her immediately. His heart crashed in his chest at the sight and he took an involuntary step back, his back thumping against the door. She was sitting on the cot smiling serenely at Arthur, as if she had known they would meet this day. She looked as ethereal like the last time he had met her and for a fleeting second, Arthur couldn’t help but wonder. Could it be?

Her smile turned a bit sad then, as if she had heard his thoughts aloud. “Emrys is a powerful man, but not even he is powerful enough to bring back the dead,” she said as she got up from the bed and walked towards Arthur. And Arthur could see now that she was neither ghost nor truly flesh. He wanted to reach out, to touch her like he couldn’t believe his eyes, but he hesitated, afraid that she might vanish if he did. 

“Arthur,” she said, and something inside Arthur shattered. He struggled to take in a breath and choked out, “Mother.” He started forward, but then he remembered what happened the last time he had met his mother, and stopped in his tracks.

His mother seemed to understand.

“There are no tricks this time, son,” she smiled, pausing in her steps. “Your friend Emrys has assured me that nobody would try to control my words like the witch Morgause did last time. He is a good boy, seems to care a lot about you.”

That caused Arthur to smile a bit again, trying to imagine Merlin and his mother talking about him. His mother took a cautious step towards him again and this time he did not hesitate to step forward into her arms. It was a strange feeling, because Ygraine was not fully solid, yet more than just spirit. It reminded him of his father’s form when the conch had summoned him.

He pulled back to look at his mother, who was searching his face hungrily like she did not have enough time to gaze at him as much as she would want.

"Mother," Arthur said again, reveling in the opportunity to have a use for the word again. "Merlin, he - he has magic," he blurted out. 

"I know, Arthur. I've been watching you grow into the King I always knew you would be. I had trust in you to make the right decision once your father left you the throne, and you have made me so proud, Arthur. I cannot imagine how difficult it had been for you to lift the ban on magic. Your father disagrees, of course, but I am very proud of you."

Arthur sagged with relief. He had always wondered what his mother would think of his decision to lift the ban on magic which he had taken a little over two years ago, shortly after which Merlin had revealed his magic to him. He thought he had betrayed her, since her death was brought about by magic and had led to the ban in the first place. 

Arthur couldn’t speak. His eyes feasted on her, hardly believing that he was actually looking at his mother. He felt like he could look at her forever, and still it wouldn't be enough. 

"You've seen him?" he couldn’t help asking, though it was mostly because he wanted to hear her speaking again.

"Yes. We have had the opportunity to talk," she said, her eyes getting a little distant as if remembering.

"I have only ever tried to please you both, to— to be a good and just king. I— I never wanted you to die, both of you— " he choked off on a sob that emerged from him without his permission.

"Shh, Arthur," Ygraine pulled Arthur to sit on the bed with her and held him tight. "I know, son. I have watched it all. You have done so well."

Arthur remained in her embrace, hardly able to believe that he had his mother here with him. He couldn't help but pull away a little to look at her face again. He saw her as teary eyed as him, and forgot to be embarrassed. They sat there for a long time, laughing and sobbing, Arthur telling his mother every inane detail of his life he had ever wanted to tell her, Ygraine telling him how pleased and proud she was of him. It seemed like no time at all before they had to part.

"But I haven't even told you about my quest to the land of the fisher king yet. Why do you have to leave so soon?"

"Because, Arthur, too much exposure to the Resurrection Stone will do only harm and I have promised Emrys that I shall bring you no harm. I have already overstayed my visit," Ygraine stood up. "I am glad I got to spend this time with you. It was more than I had ever hoped for." 

Arthur stood up with her. "Will I ever see you again?" he asked a little desperately.

Ygraine smiled at him sadly and simply said, "Goodbye, son. I love you."

Arthur couldn't bring himself to say goodbye, so he only looked at her, taking in all he could to last him his lifetime, until Ygraine faded away into the night. “I love you too, Mother,” he whispered a long moment after she was gone.

He looked out of the window, wondering how much time had passed. Then he let out a long breath and turned to open the door, committing the last few hours to memory forever.


End file.
